Stetson University Centurion Sales Program secured a first-place win in the 20^th Annual National Collegiate Sales Competition held last week at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Georgia. The win earned Stetson the title of 2018 Rookie Sales Program. The event gives students from 73 elite sales programs around the world an opportunity to exhibit and enhance selling skills in the longest-running university-sales role-play competition.

“This event is seen as the Super Bowl of collegiate sales competitions, so it was a poignant and exciting win for the Centurion Sales Program, which has only been in place for one year,” explained John Riggs, D.B.A., executive director of the Centurion Sales Program.  “Being awarded the Rookie Sales Program confirms that the academic rigor and real-world business application of our program is relevant and top-notch.”

Stetson was represented in this invitation-only competition by seniors Carli Legere from Saco, Maine, and Kristen Lipcsey from Arvada, Colorado. Legere and Lipcsey were tasked with a practical role play simulation where their sales skills were observed and evaluated by faculty and sales executives from various industries. During the elimination-style tournament, students are allocated 20 minutes to complete a sales call with fictional customers. Judges included faculty, and actual sales managers and sales executives from various industries.

Seven additional Stetson University student alternates attended the event and participated in a career fair with several receiving internship and job offers.

“We spent months preparing for this competition, working on role play scenarios in the sales labs, and it was a transforming experience for me — so much that I changed my major to sales,” said Legere.  “During the event I also received multiple job offers which in itself is amazing, to be able to be put in a position to get your foot in the door with top companies.”

Students were coached by James Flyes, assistant professor of practice, and Riggs. Stetson University President Wendy B. Libby, Ph.D., Neal P. Mero, Ph.D., professor of management and dean of the School of Business Administration, and program benefactor Leo Fernandez, Stetson alumnus and entrepreneur, also attended the event.

Through this win, the Centurion Sales Program also secured an automatic invitation to next year’s competition. 

 -Marie Dinklage